Myskia
by Heather Giesbrecht
Summary: Dante really hoped someone wanted to do renovations because the church was ruined. Dante/Loki, Thor/Loki. Chapter 2 of 2 - Wish posted. Complete.
1. Myskia

_Author's Note:_ Myskia, Frost Bats and Valhalla, Norway don't exist in either DMC or Thor.

* * *

 **Myskia**

Asgard, 967 A.D.

Stood beside his emerald blanketed bed, Loki stomped his foot and exclaimed, "Father I am **not** going to bed !" His small voice further diminished in the enormous golden, marble and sandstone bedchambers.

Father looked down at him before running a hand over his grey beard with a sigh. "I would expect this from Thor, not you, Loki. Tell me, what may I do so that you go to sleep ?"

"I want a story, one which you have yet to tell Thor. Please, Father, I swear that right after I will go to sleep." He tilted his head and further widened his eyes. _'_ _It works to get the last potato pancake from Thor, it has to work now. It must work._ _'_

Father's one good eye closed briefly in consideration. "I suppose that I could tell you of the time I was in the Midgardian country of Sweden when you were only a year old."

"Yeah, **story** !" With a broad smile, he hugged Father's leg before scrabbling into bed atop the silver-silk sheets.

Slowly, Father sat down beside him golden-armour gleaming in the moonlight. Muninn croaked from Father's shoulder when Huginn fluttered down to land in his lap. Absently, he stroked Huginn's head-feathers and waited for Father to start talking.

"Long ago, so long ago that your grandfather Bor was still hundreds of thousands of millennia from being born, the Frost Giants had rule of Midgard. Many millennia passed before the Frost Giants themselves were deposed by terrible creatures that the Midgardians would come to call Demons. They fled back to Jotunheim leaving behind the great creatures of war we called Frost Bats. Frost Bats eat the flesh of any creature they can dig their fangs into, yet over the years still they declined until only one existed - the dread Myskia who had first fathered them. Shortly after you and Thor were born, I tracked Myskia down to a forest where the surrounding villages worshipped him as the God of Air. It was many harrowing hours we fought Gungnir and energy beams against fangs, wings and ice-breath. Eventually, I scored a blow to his right-wing and he fled like the cowardly Frost creature he was."

Huginn croaked and flapped his wings as he clutched the bird to his chest. Worriedly, he asked, "Did you find him and kill him ?"

A tanned, wrinkled hand reached out to smooth his hair. "Why would I further pursue him when I had yourself, Thor and your mother to worry of ? I am sure that he died of his wounds somewhere. Now, go to sleep."

Once more, he stroked Huginn's feathers before he let go and the raven flew back to Father. He slid under the blanket with, "Good-night, Father."

Rough beard scratched against his forehead, "Good-night, Loki."

Long after Father had left, he finally fell into dreams; dreams of forty-foot bats, icy forests and the slaying of the beast whilst all of Asgard cheered.

* * *

Valhalla, Norway, 2005 A.D.

Dante pulled his long sword, Rebellion, from Myskia's corpse. The enormous, dark-crimson and sapphire-furred bat started to dissolve into the crumbling marble floor and he wiped Rebellion on its chest. When he'd sheathed the sword on his back, he looked up at the starlight that poured through the shattered stained-glass window above the altar with a faint smile. Despite the grim reason he'd come to the small town e.g. kids being kidnapped and eaten by Myskia, he was happy he'd been able to save the last two, Hilde and Sven Johnson.

' _At least nobody else_ _'_ _s gonna have to go looking for their kids only to find bones. I_ _'_ _m just sorry I didn_ _'_ _t arrive fast enough to save the four-year old twins, but thank God I got that tip from Mr. Olafson before Hilde and Sven were bat food._ _'_

One of the rotted oak support beams that the bat had hit with its scarred-wing during their rodeo stunt collapsed with an enormous, echoing groan. He stepped back as a 100-pound chunk of ceiling and fluted columns followed and crashed into the tile he'd just stood on. _'_ _Uh, I hope they don_ _'_ _t mind doing renovations on this place._ _'_

From the church's entrance came the sound of clapping before a soft voice enthused, "Oh that was **magnificent** , utterly magnificent !"

He whirled around to face the man, "You know what would've been even more magnificent ?"

Sleek, shoulder-length black-hair contrasted sharply with the pale-skin and complimented the tie-less, black suit with the white button-down shirt. One thin-fingered hand rose so the man could examine his nails, "Many things, but do enlighten me, Spardason."

"You…getting off your scrawny ass and helping me."

The man teleported to stand not a foot away from him; moonlight bathed the delicate features and emerald-eyes crinkled as an impish smile crossed the man's lips. "Ah, but I already did, it was I who contacted you… **Dante**."

Normally, he wasn't the type to let business mix with pleasure, but with the way his stomach had just tied itself into knots it wasn't going to be easy this time. When he managed to get his wits back the realization hit him, "You're lying. Mr. Olafson doesn't sound anything like you. Who are you ?"

Just then a disconcertingly raspy voice, Mr. Olafson's, left the pale-pink lips, "I am him because he does not exist." Again the man teleported and the soft voice brushed against his ear causing him to shiver. "I am Loki Odinson, Prince of Asgard."

' _Loki ? Fucking God of Mischief Loki ? He's probably just dicking around, so why do I feel disappointed ? This had better not be like that Nevan let me seduce you while I try to kill you shit.'_

He was unsuccessful in trying to shove either the butterflies out of his stomach or steady his voice. "So, why didn't His Highness the God of Mischief help his subjects himself ?"

Loki's lips pressed against the side of his neck. "Please call me Loki. That aside, well, I couldn't possibly meet you if I dealt with Myskia myself, could I ? Whilst you were dealing with him I was escorting the little ones back to the village."

Annoyed, he snapped, "Would you stop touching me for a moment ?"

Of course, that was when Loki laughed from a perch atop the altar. "I would, if I was in fact touching you."

Dante rolled his eyes and grumbled as he turned. "You must get a real kick out of playing I'm not touching you since nobody knows what you're actually doing."

The Asgardian, who had cleared the altar of debris and draped himself across it, slowly raised himself. "Oh, you should have seen the tantrums Thor threw when we were five, those were hilarity incarnate."

"That's one thing I can't stand about trickster Gods they think being fucking annoying is funny."

Cue an overly dramatic gasp from Loki and in mock horror the black-haired man exclaimed, "How uncouth of you, oh, oh, I should die !" Loki completed the act by rolling onto his back, draping one hand over the altar's edge as the other suddenly clutched a rose to his chest.

Despite his best efforts to stifle it he couldn't help, but burst out laughing. _'Okay, so maybe he's a bit funny.'_

With a bright grin Loki rolled off the altar and teleported over the debris back to him.

"Allow me to oblige the Slayer of Myskia a celebratory drink in recompense for my inanities."

Before he knew it Loki had put the rose into one of his duster's inner pockets the pale-fingers brushing his hip as they pulled away.

"I swear that I will pull no more jests on you, unless you should wish it."

"Lies fall under mischief, Loki, do you really think I'm going to believe you ?"

Loki replied, "I would be disappointed if you did, so, is that a yes ?"

Dante hummed in response then Loki reached out, took his shoulder and…a second later they appeared outside Valhalla. The town's houses were mostly made of old, but very well-maintained brick or ancient heavy logs with a few modern paneled ones, all encircled by ash trees. He looked over his shoulder, hidden behind all the trees would be the remnants of the ancient church. Hopefully, all the kids who'd died there over the last who-only-knew hundreds, maybe thousands, of years could find peace.

A faint squeal reached his ears before the strawberry-blonde haired Sven and dark-red haired Hilde rushed from behind a near-by tree to tackle his legs. "Mr. Sparda, Mr. Sparda, you're not dead !"

He couldn't help muttering, "Well, Valhalla is a place on Earth." even though he was the only one who understood the reference.

Loki, who had released him and moved to give them space, mouthed the phrase only to shake his head in confusion.

Hilde and Sven took his hands and he let them start pulling him into town with Loki following behind. When they reached the town square what looked like damn near everyone was there and burst into almost deafening cheers. It wouldn't have felt right for him to leave 'Mr. Olafson' out and Loki looked surprised to be included.

The next morning, as he woke up with Loki curled around him, he had to give it to Valhalla and Loki they knew how to throw one Hel of a party.


	2. Wish

**Wish**

Asgard, 2006 A.D.

Sunlight shone through the giant, pane-less, arched sandstone windows onto the marble-tiled floor. Odin tilted his head following Huginn and Muninn's flight over Frigga's large, rectangular, silver mirror before they swept in to land on the silver armrests of his chair. "Well, old friends, what did you see when you were following Loki ?"

' _Surely, they must have found the cause in Loki_ _'_ _s sudden shift to a more subtle, but far more easily felt happiness._ _'_

Huginn walked up to stand on his forearm and replied, "He went to Midgard-"

Muninn broke in, "To meet the Son of Sparda."

' _Wherever would Loki have met Dante Sparda ? That matters not, what does matter is this merely friendship or something more ? If it is friendship, it will matter not that I want him to marry Princess Sigyn of Alfheim; if it is romantic interest that compounded with the fact of Loki's true heritage it would not be in anyone's best interest to go forward with the arranged marriage. All that it would accomplish would be driving Loki away from Frigga, from Thor, from me._ _'_

He brought a hand up to stroke Huginn's head-feathers. "Might I use a spell to see your memory of their encounter Huginn ?"

"Of course."

In a minute, the spell was completed and Huginn's memory scrolled across the mirror. From a perch atop a building, he watched Loki sneak up behind a man with far lighter hair. The Son of Sparda gave a cry of, "Loki !" as pale-hands landed on the darkly clad shoulders.

Of course, Loki feinted innocence perfectly, "You called, Dante ?"

Sparda spun to embrace Loki heartily while saying, "I missed you Loki."

He and Muninn winged over the two to rest on the roof of the light-bricked building called Devil May Cry. Briefly, he rustled and preened his feathers then went back to listening.

"If I were not me rest assured that I would miss me too."

A hiss left his throat as Sparda thumped Loki's shoulder blade. Sparda's words were in tone half-fond amusement and half-exasperation. "I know you're you and I wouldn't have it any other way, but **really** ?"

Loki twined his arms around Sparda's neck pulling the other into a chaste kiss. "Yes, really. Still, you know that I would always miss you far more than I could ever miss myself." As the two went into the Devil May Cry building Loki asked, "Did you get some more of that oddly delightful salad ?"

"Chicken Caesar ? Yep."

"Hmm, I knew there was a reason that I loved you."

"You mean there's a reason that isn't my devilishly good-looks ?"

"Oh, was that part of it too ? Well, you should have said something earlier."

Laughter echoed up to he and Muninn before the door thudded closed.

The spell ended and Odin found himself smiling at his youngest son's obvious affection. _'_ _How could I bear to tear that apart when they remind me of myself and Frigga ? Ah, to be that young again. I do not think that Sigyn would have stood for Loki_ _'_ _s personality, she would have tried to change him and caused him to lash out. Far better is it to let him stay with Sparda than have a war because Sigyn could not force Loki_ _'_ _s affections. Much rather would I have Loki freely in love than trapped in a loveless marriage._ _'_

* * *

?, Midgard, 2010 A.D.

Thor opened the door to the building and walked inside. The floors were of light oak while the walls were painted a dark-brown. Before him was a dark-mahogany desk and mounted on the wall behind this were the heads of monsters whether horned, gilled or scaled and whose skins varied from bright-sapphire to middling amethyst to deepest emerald.

' _This_ _…_ _place is where Loki goes ? Unless he is playing tricks again, I see not where he could go. What makes this place so much more desirable to him than home ? What does a mere hunter of monsters have that the Mighty Thor does not ? No relation by blood that is what he has. Whereas it is exactly that relation which keeps my feelings from expression. Loki is my little brother, I am supposed to protect him not make him think that I_ _'_ _m an incestuous monster._ _'_

Moonlight gleamed off a one-sided enclosure made of dark-grey stone in the diagonal corner. Warily, readying Mjolnir, he approached it. When he was close enough there was a sound of soft breathing. No, it was two simultaneous breaths kept in perfect time.

He stopped feeling confused and, unfairly, feeling betrayed at the sight that greeted him through the four-foot gap in between the stone blocks. Laid across the black-leather couch on the right was Loki sleeping…accompanied. Under recessed lights the stranger's chin-length snowy hair glowed as it touched his brother's longer raven hair. Even their skin-tones differed with Loki's a soft ivory whereas the other's was a darkened tan.

"Who the Hell do you think you are ?" The soft hiss of those words echoed through the room. For a second, it confused him as to who said it. Something glossy and ivory-coloured, a gun, snapped up to point at his face, thusly he decided it was the stranger's words. Slowly, the white-haired man raised his head off Loki's shoulder before preternaturally light-blue eyes glared at him.

Rage flooded him, a growl built in his throat and his grip on Mjolnir's haft tightened. _'_ _One broken hand would not stop a good hunter, just one hand._ _'_

Of course, at that moment Loki had to murmur, "Dante." whilst cuddling closer.

' _Loki, damn you, move so that I can hit this Hel-bound thing !_ _'_

Instead he found himself distracted his gaze drawn to Loki as it always was. It would have taken a rampaging bilgesnipe not to notice how peaceful his brother looked. Unconsciously, his anger started dampening so that he would not do something overly loud and startle Loki awake. _'_ _Nornsdammit, I cannot risk hurting him if he should move again. Not only would_ _ **he**_ _be furious, but_ _ **Mother**_ _would have my head._ _'_ Slowly, he returned Mjolnir to its loop on his belt.

Loki's beauty when those pretty eyes fluttered open and the pale-pink lips parted in a soft yawn was utterly heartbreaking. Never in their youth had he thought that his own heart would be one. A second later, Loki stirred blinking awake to murmur his name. To tell truth he felt far too guilty to answer and so stayed silent.

It caused Loki to shake his head then look to his lover. "Dante, what are you doing, put Ivory down ? All it will do is make him irritable and I prefer his normal cheeriness when travelling as I assume he is here to take me home. Are you not, Brother ?"

' _Loki loves this Dante as he reciprocates and I get to pine after my brother. There are things I wish to do like violently resting Mjolnir on Dante_ _'_ _s face, but taking Loki home is not my first wish tonight. I need to find out what Dante is, with his eyes he cannot be a mere Midgardian._ _'_

Thor grimaced, "Yes, but first I wish to know who he is. Loki, you know that Father will not be pleased that you come to see a Midgardian."

With lips pursed Loki untangled himself from Dante then slid off the couch. Some good thing must have crossed Loki's mind because he suddenly smiled and his next words were triumphant. "He is only partially a Midgardian, Thor. Dante's father was the demon Sparda."

"The one that Father said Grandfather met when he was young ? That Sparda ?" Disbelief was too tame a word when his gaze moved to Dante and he burst into laughter. "As if this unimposing creature could be a son of Sparda, Loki ! Sparda whom our great-great-grandfather feared would one-day wish to conquer Asgard. **Dante** looks not half as imposing as Sparda, in fact, I believe that Volstagg's five years-old daughter could beat him. So, do not tell me that he has managed to fool **you** into believing him."

How else, but with utter grace did Loki walk up to glare at him. Emerald-eyes held all the fury of a storm, while Loki's words were cold and soft as the first flakes that heralded a blizzard. "If we go by those words then I suppose that I am not an Odinson either, what with my being so utterly pathetic and skinny, no ?"

' _He is far too smart, too elegant to ever be pathetic. Lithe, yes, slim, yes, but skinny ? Never._ _'_

"Loki !" His exclamation was full of alarm and, instinctively, he reached out. "You know that is not what I meant, I would never mean such. Even for some ridiculous reason were I to, you are still more powerful with and knowledgeable of magic than I."

Deliberately, Loki backed away to Dante who had moved to stand in the enclosure's opening. "What good does my knowledge when hardly ever do you take the time to listen ?"

Dante put a hand on Loki's shoulder and caressed it. "It's not your fault he's as stupid as Agni and Rudra separate…or put together."

Said comment for some reason elicited a chuckle from Loki. "Well, they certainly are more annoying than Thor." His brother looked back at him, "Believe me when I say that the Son of Sparda is called thus as we are called Odinson. Though I must say Dante is far more handsome than Sparda." Loki's words ended with an annoyingly fond glance at the half-Midgardian.

' _I care not how handsome he is ! He is a stranger and Spardason or no, Mother cannot possibly trust a man that can turn into a demon and unintentionally hurt Loki._ _'_

Fists clenched, he turned, stomped over to stop beside Dante's desk and growled. "Merely because he is humanoid now does not mean that you will be safe with his demonic side ! I love you too much to see you hurt because of him, Brother." _'Even though I can never truly tell you how much.'_

Frustration bled into Loki's voice and he could imagine Loki throwing his hands up. "If you did not always feel the need to try and protect me from **everything** I would have told you about Dante myself ! Instead because of your habit I did not as you likely would leap to the most idiotic conclusion possible…and so you have. Despite your delusions of our still being children, I am, in fact, a thousand and forty-some years old and more than capable of protecting myself paranoid as you are over nothing."

' _I would rather be too paranoid than be left in mourning. How does he not see that my concern is because of his innocence ? Never as I know it has he loved someone romantically before nor has he shown any wish for it. Every time I saw him before this he would be either engrossed in some book, a new spell, sparring or with our friends. He never mentioned anything of romance, never asked Mother or_ _ **I**_ _for advice_ _ **.**_ _Why can he not see that I only want him safe ? But, look at his reaction, he does not like it and wants room_ _…_ _give it to him._ _'_

As he turned it was in time to see Dante's arms wrap around Loki as the man's lips brushed the pale ear. When the whisper was finished Dante said in a louder tone, "It's not really your business that I'm in love Loki, but I do love him. He's explained how important you are to him, I know what that means." The half-Midgardian's face tightened in pain. "I-I was a little brother too and Virgil was just like you when I was little, but we were the only family we had. I loved him because he always had my back no matter what I did." Dante's eyes opened and he smiled faintly. "I knew that if anyone hurt me seriously enough that I couldn't do anything about it that Virgil would slice them into a thousand pieces, burn them to ash and scatter them all over the earth. I know that if I ever hurt Loki you'll fry me in the lightning storm of the century, but I'll never do it intentionally. Look, Thor, if you still don't understand maybe we should all just get some sleep and start over tomorrow morning, deal ?"

Of course, he understood, "I know, it is just hard to quash my protective urges. I should be happy that he has found someone that cares so much about him. Perhaps it is best if we sleep here and leave tomorrow so that we are fully awake." _'If I am fully awake I cannot accidentally confess anything.'_

He was left jealous when yet another yawn left Loki's lips as Dante led Loki back to the couch. As he moved to the right couch and put Mjolnir beside it how could he not imagine that it was him Loki said the half-slurred, "Good-night, Love." to.

After falling into a dreamless sleep he woke more than happy to go home, to have Loki to himself for a while.


End file.
